Infosnacking with The Friendly Atheist

A weekly digest of atheist-related news and commentary by Hemant Mehta, adapted from his blog "The Friendly Atheist."

For HumanistNetworkNews.org
July 1, 2009

Athletes, money, and megachurches

Is there a connection between star athletes and megachurches?  Yep, and it isn't pretty.  You won't believe how much money Evander Holyfield gives to his church...

http://friendlyatheist.com/2009/06/20/star-athletes-megachurches-and-a-whole-lot-of-money/

...

God or chemotherapy, which would you rather have to cure cancer?

After trying herbs, vitamins and other forms of pseudoscience to no avail, a boy gets treated for cancer with chemotherapy... immediately, the cancerous tumor shrinks.  To what do the parents attribute this good fortune?

The pseudoscience, of course...

http://friendlyatheist.com/2009/06/20/chemotherapy-helps-daniel-hauser-what-do-his-parents-say-now/

...

Change in conservative Christian dress code

Focus on the Family, the conservative Christian group, has loosened its dress code for employees.  Women can now wear pants. 

Insert your own joke here.

http://friendlyatheist.com/2009/06/18/focus-on-the-family-to-women-you-can-wear-pants-now/

...

Conversation-killers between theists and humanists

Have you ever been arguing religion with a theist and they make a comment that just ends the conversation?  Something like, "You just have to take it on faith" or "God works in mysterious ways"? 

You can't respond to that.  They won't be listening to reason after that. What other examples can you think of?  Do humanists have any phrases they use in a similar manner?

http://friendlyatheist.com/2009/06/19/conversation-killers/

About Hemant, the Friendly Atheist
Hemant Mehta is the Chair of the Secular Student Alliance (SSA) Board of Directors. He has worked with the Center for Inquiry and is also an SSA representative to the Secular Coalition for America. Hemant received national attention, including being featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, for his work as the "eBay Atheist." Hemant's blog can be read at FriendlyAtheist.com and his book "I Sold My Soul on eBay" (WaterBrook Press) is now in bookstores everywhere. He currently works as a high school math teacher in the suburbs of Chicago.